Development and assessment of a community-based screening tool for mental health disorders among people who inject drugs.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The prevalence of mental health disorders among people who use drugs is high and well documented. This hard-to-reach population faces a very low awareness and access to mental health care, especially in developing countries. The objectives of this study were to design and assess a quick screening tool (QST) that community-based organisations (CBO) could routinely apply to a Vietnamese population of people who inject drugs (PWID), in order to refer them appropriately to mental health specialists.

Methods

We devised a tool that included nine questions covering anxiety, depression, suicide risk and psychotic symptomatology. Its use required no specific background and 2 h training. Specificity and sensitivity of the QST were assessed in a population of 418 PWID recr

SUBMITTER: Le SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10150937 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature